Pages

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Sew All 26: P is for Polka Dots and Peacocks

Katy (No Big Dill) has been hosting a fabulous series called "Sew All 26." Together she, some guests, and sew-alongers have been creating their way through the alphabet. Today I'm joining in for the letter P!

It started with the coat. I was itching to make a turquoise corduroy jacket in a pea coat style. I waffled between the Oliver + S Sunday Brunch Jacket and the Make it Perfect Uptown Girl jacket. Finally I settled on a pattern from my own collection: Simplicity 2629. It's a vintage reprint of a layette collection from the '40s.

I sketched a gigantic peacock design and used upcycled fabric (also used here), scrap fabric, and lots of matching thread. (I'm a little fanatical in my applique technique.)

I added a ruffle to the front yoke seam, some piping to the collar, and used the buttons from the original upcycled shirt dress. It closes with little thread button loops.

The shirt is the Figgy's Patterns Ayashe Blouse. The polka dot fabric is pale pink -- some I picked up from the fabric store two blocks from our old home in Black Mountain. It was on clearance, and I bought all they had.

My practice version of the blouse was a size 2/3, and it was a tad big. Unfortunately the 18-month size I made this time was a little small. I had to make the neck hole bigger and use a thread loop and button to keep things closed.

I love the details on this shirt. The gathers at the shoulder, the mandarin collar, the elastic waist, and the gathers in the back. . . so sweet.

The skirt (also the Ayashe) is made from denim I had stashed to make Thurlows. (I've decided to make Thurlow shorts instead.) It's a medium-weight denim, and the buttons are some of my grandmother's vintage goodies. I was afraid they were over-the-top (says the girl who appliqued a life-size peacock on a coat), but I'm digging them now.

Sometimes I feel torn between bold colors and pastels. I'm attracted to both! And I fluctuate between loving hip, modern styles and classic, traditional ones. With this ensemble, I've worked it all in!

Thoughts: Figgy's patterns are true to size in my experience. I should've stuck with the 2/3 for the blouse. The skirt fits perfectly. The jacket is extremely wide in the shoulders but otherwise fits well.

I love everything about this outfit! The Figgy's Ayashe pattern is one of my all time favorites, and in fact, I am planning to make my daughter another one very soon out of voile. And the peacock coat! Wow!

Michelle, I thought I commented on this the first time I saw it, but I came back after seeing it in the project run & play link up to give you another shout out. I'm so glad I did, cause I must have been on my phone the first time and I never commented. I love that peacock. It is so well pieced. And the color is perfect with her eyes. I have been on a figgy's kick lately so of course I adore this blouse. I think the details are really lovely. Great job!

Wow! Love the jacket! I have that pattern but I never would have thought to change it up in this way. I'll never look at it as an uninspiring jacket again! Love the buttons on the skirt, too! Great job!

Okay, just a warning...if your daughter's jacket is missing some day, it's because I came and stole it! Absolutely perfect! You can see our sew along submission to Project Run & Play here: http://skirtfixation.com/2014/02/t-shirt-dress-outfit/

Oh my gosh, she is amazingly adorable!! I'm about to sew up an Ayesha and was browsing for inspiration, and was so happy to land on your blog. I'm pretty sure that I bought the bubble pocket shorts pattern last year right after seeing your version of turning it into a romper last year. So adorable. Hope mine turns out as good as yours! :)